The Giant Panda .... a Soon to Be Casualty of Evolution or the Result of Selfish Human Development?
The Giant Panda, indigenous to the remote mountainous regions of Central China, is now referred to as the poster child for all endangered species. But whose fault is this? Is it our fault as human beings with our need to control and manipulate the environment; is it the panda’s fault for not possessing the adaptation mechanisms necessary for survival? Or is this simply just an act of God or the destiny of these pandas since they have nothing to offer humans or the environment. Whichever you choose to deduce the argument too, it is proven that these animals are at risk due to habitat loss, but let’s not forget that these pandas are living organisms just like us humans, who are faced with the harsh reality that one day their whole race would die out. Could you imagine if your family was a species at the brink of extinction due to the lost of your homes?
Most people are familiar with the Giant Pandas, they are usually one of the main attractions at the zoo, and who could forget their distinctive black and white coloring. Their ears, muzzle, eyes, shoulders and legs are black while the rest of their body is white. Their thick hair keeps them warm in the cool, wet mountain zones and they live within the forest. These pandas have an insatiable appetite for bamboo, it is said that they eat up too thirty ponds of bamboo each day (National Geographic Society 1996), this could be due to the face that the nutritional value of bamboo is very low so they have to eat larger quantities to ensure that they get the nutrients and calories they need. Occasionally Pandas will eat other available food, including small rodents, eggs, fish, and other flora.
One interesting trait of the panda is their protruding wrist bone that acts as a thumb. This helps them to hold the bamboo while they munch on it with their strong molars. Similarly Charles Darwin would refer to this as an adaption to ensure survival, which is a successful adjustment to the environment. And these traits are
Most people are familiar with the Giant Pandas, they are usually one of the main attractions at the zoo, and who could forget their distinctive black and white coloring. Their ears, muzzle, eyes, shoulders and legs are black while the rest of their body is white. Their thick hair keeps them warm in the cool, wet mountain zones and they live within the forest. These pandas have an insatiable appetite for bamboo, it is said that they eat up too thirty ponds of bamboo each day (National Geographic Society 1996), this could be due to the face that the nutritional value of bamboo is very low so they have to eat larger quantities to ensure that they get the nutrients and calories they need. Occasionally Pandas will eat other available food, including small rodents, eggs, fish, and other flora.
One interesting trait of the panda is their protruding wrist bone that acts as a thumb. This helps them to hold the bamboo while they munch on it with their strong molars. Similarly Charles Darwin would refer to this as an adaption to ensure survival, which is a successful adjustment to the environment. And these traits are